Word Nerd!

[johnson1010]

I'm a word nerd.

I'm interested in words and how they come to be what they are, where they came from, and how they are used.

I'm always interested in language translations, for instance.

When people say that "Buenos dias" means hello, they are right. But literally translated that's "Good Day".
Which is a greeting, true, but is not a pure hale, like the word "Hello" is.

How about the words coincide and coincidence?

One means that one thing goes with another consequently, the other means that the going together is arbitrary and without causation.

Today I was thinking about the word "Just".

Like, the Police officer's behavior was just.

Then there is the other ways to use just, which seem on the surface unrelated to that usage.

I just made it to work on time.
Which means something like "barely attained the status of blank"

And then the usage like "This is just terrific!"
Which means something like "extremely blank"

Or maybe when it's used as an amplifier it is actually referring to the first usage of the word, as in "righteously terrific"

This is "Just edible" This is "Just Delicious"

Funny how a word serves two functions like that.

Got any word nerd moments you want to share?

[LanDroid]

One thing I hate is words that mean the opposite based on context. I couldn't think of examples immediately, so had to google it.

Sanction for example. That action was sanctioned (approved) by the VP. The U.S. imposed sanctions (penalties) on Iran.
Here are 13 more:
http://mentalfloss.com/article/49834/14 ... -opposites

[Brooks127]

I'm a word nerd.

I'm interested in words and how they come to be what they are, where they came from, and how they are used.

If you've not already, you should read the "Professor and the Madman" aka "The Surgeon of Crowthorne" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Surgeon_of_Crowthorne

It's about the making of the Oxford English Dictionary.

[DWill]

I also think it's interesting how we'll say certain phrases without the slightest idea of why they express the idea that's in our heads." Man, he was three sheets to the wind! " " You need to make that guy toe the line" (or is it tow the line). We just love to say things metaphorically, and it doesn't matter that we often have no idea why, or whether, our words truly express the thought. We're happy to follow convention.

[johnson1010]

A really interesting modifier in my opinion is "What".

As in, "What a catch!"

What exactly are we saying when we use the word "what" like that?

Lets see.


What, as in inquiring about an object.

Robby, what works at the book store.
Heard this kind of usage in Brittish tv.
Is this an answer to an assumed question?

What a day!
What a beautiful smile!
is this maybe also a response to a presumed rhetorical question?
Like, "What? A beautiful smile!"

This one really has me stumped.
I can more or less make sense of the uses of Just in a modifier context, but what is throwing me a bit.

[Flann 5]

I can more or less make sense of the uses of Just in a modifier context, but what is throwing me a bit.

What is throwing you a bit,Johnson? I don't know! What is?

[LanDroid]

How 'bout what in that context means "that's a great example of..." Even works for "What a jerk!"

[Flann 5]

How 'bout what in that context means "that's a great example of..." Even works for "What a jerk!"

Why so snarky Mr Moderator? I wasn't attacking Johnson. Just a play on words. I knew what he meant in context.

[DWill]

How many languages have this usage corresponding to English "What a day!" French does with "Quelle journee!," and Spanish with "Que dia!" It doesn't appear to be just an English idiom. Stephen Pinker might be good for the answer to this question in terms of psycholinguistics.

[johnson1010]

I don't think that was a dig at you, Flann.

OOh, that's good stuff, DWill!

I agree that "What" in that instance serves for "That's a great example of..." or something along those lines.

I just don't know how the other uses of "What" lend themselves to be used that way.

Where in "Just amazing" I can kind of see how that could be swapped with a synonym like "righteously amazing"


"What a day this has been!" can either mean it was a great day, a horrible day, or a strange day but not necessarily good or bad.

I don't know if what really has synonyms. It's almost implied, though if you have a question mark after a word. So maybe the question mark is the synonym for what?

That? = What, that? = what's that?

But in context that could mean different things.

"I love this shirt!"
.... "That?"

A day? = What a day?

...hmmmm, not quite right.